Front Brake Locking Up?

[CZ511]

Ok, what's up with my front brake? My front brake locks up when riding slow. Of course, if I'm riding at some speed the front brake does not lock up but at slow speeds if I just softly touch the brake lever, the brake just stop the wheel dead. The caliper will release just fine but WOW, it can be tricky at low speeds. :eek:

 

[KDXFreestyle]

check the pads, and try bleeding the line.

 

[KAY DEE EXER]

Sounds like a warped disk.... I warped one from going through a huge mud puddle after a crazy downhill run.

 

[CZ511]

Well, the rotor is not warped. Just strange, the bike only has 52 miles on it. I think I'm just going to remove the pads and check them out.

 

[canyncarvr]

Only 52 miles on it and it's an '02?

If soft pressure locks your wheel...there is no gradual braking response to gradual lever pressure there is likely some comtamination of your pads.

Get a can of Brakleen and hose'm down. Would work better if the pads were out of the caliper, but you could give it a try with the assembly together first.

After that, try a 'burnish' sequence. At moderate speed apply progressive pressure to the brake starting at a very short period of time (couple seconds), let the rotor cool, repeat with increasing periods of braking with increasing pressures.

Any time you replace pads/rotors (motorcycle or any other vehicle) you will greatly increase the performance and longevity of your braking system if you run through a burnishing routine.

 

[KevinHasNOMOney]

sounds like air in the lines to me

 

[CZ511]

Yup, sad to say, but only 52 miles! At the age of 42, two little girls, oh yea and a wife, almost forgot her and work leaves little time to ride. Back to the brakes, yes, I did pull the caliper and cleaned the pads and it seemed to have fixed it. :yeehaw:

 

[canyncarvr]

If you pulled the pads, you took out the pin.

Take it out again and put some neverseize on the threads! Do that to the rear brake, too (both pins). After a bit of time, they get good'n stuck in the caliper.....close to impossible to get out.

NoMoney:
Just curious, how is it that air in the lines causes brake lock up in the sense reported? That sense being everything is fine (no riding pressure on the rotor) until you use the brakes, then a slight pressure locks the system up.

Glad it's all better.

 

[cicone]

...close to impossible to get out?? I'd say so. One of mine is in permanently---until it absolutely must come out---then I'll send it off to get electrosparky'd. Broken off easy out !!!! :rotfl:

 

[KevinHasNOMOney]

NoMoney:
Just curious, how is it that air in the lines causes brake lock up in the sense reported? That sense being everything is fine (no riding pressure on the rotor) until you use the brakes, then a slight pressure locks the system up.

sorry man, before i thought he was saying every time he tapped the brakes, they would lock up...but now that i re-read it...he wasnt reffering to that much at all... im sucha a stupid immature kid!! :bang: